To begin their season, four Boston Bruins October 2019 matchups stand out as important games to watch. These games may not be the most viewed ones, but they are significant to the Bruins regular season.
Boston Bruins October 2019 Matchups to Watch
Dallas Stars
The first notable game is the first one on the schedule. The Dallas Stars pose no threat to the Bruins in the conference standings, but the B’s have to start the season with a win. It would be an immediate shake-off of the bitter end to the previous season. It isn’t the same caliber game of course, but it’s a chance to move forward.
New Jersey Devils
Another Bruins October matchup to watch is the home opener against the New Jersey Devils. First off, the Bruins will return to TD Garden after four games. Depending on how the B’s do against four Western Conference teams, it could be a chance to kickstart or continue success. In addition to it being their home opener, their opponent makes this game a worthwhile watch.
The Devils have struggled for the past few seasons, missing the playoffs last year, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round before that, then missing the playoffs for five consecutive years prior. Things seem to be turning around for this team though. They drafted Jack Hughes first overall this year, so it will be one of the first games we’ll get to see the top pick in regular season action.
Aside from the draft, the Devils added P.K. Subban to their blue line. The Canadian defenceman will play for an Eastern Conference team for the first time since his days in Montreal. He will play more games against the B’s compared to the past few years and given his history as a Bruins opponent, the B’s will have to find a solution for him. The Devils also added winger Wayne Simmonds for one year. Simmonds was someone the Bruins were rumored to add to their roster for a playoff push, but went to the Nashville Predators before joining New Jersey.
The Bruins also played New Jersey twice this pre-season, where they lost once in overtime, then won in a 2-0 shutout. These two teams are familiar at this point and it suggests that they may play a good game even if it’s early in the year.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The third (and fourth) game to watch will be when the Bruins play the Toronto Maple Leafs. They play in Toronto, then get a couple days off before playing them again in Boston. Do these two teams playing back-to-back games sound familiar? It should. It’s been the tune of late April for the past two years.
The Leafs, in contrast to the B’s, have made big roster moves, surely keeping their rival from Boston in mind. They added Cody Ceci and Tyson Barrie to try to strengthen their defensive corps – an area they struggled with against Boston in the playoffs.
And of course it’s far too early to say this is a preview of the first round of the playoffs, but it’s an ever-likely matchup and can show us if the Bruins still have the upper hand against this team. Plus, stealing a maximum of four points from their division rival would be great in the first month. And yes, I’m giving the Leafs the edge on the Habs for division rival.
Other Mentions to Round Out the Bruins October 2019 Matchups
The Bruins get their Stanley Cup rematch against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 26. You can call it the B’s shot at revenge, but the reality is that it fixes nothing. The Bruins don’t get anything if they win besides two points against a non-conference opponent.
Three days after the game against the Blues, the Bruins welcome the San Jose Sharks to TD Garden. The two games they played last year had a combined 16 goals scored – the Bruins won both games. This year’s game in Boston may be a little more significant than just watching a high-scoring game. It could be the last time Joe Thornton takes the ice in the city that drafted him first overall in 1997. He’s spent more years as a Shark than as a Bruin, but Boston is where his career began.
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